Del Norte County, California Genealogy

United States

California

Del Norte County

Guide to Del Norte County, California ancestry, genealogy and family history, birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records.

California Online Genealogy Records

County Facts County seat: Crescent City Organized: March 2, 1857 Parent County(s): Klamath Neighboring Counties Curry (OR) • Humboldt • Josephine (OR) • Siskiyou See County Maps Courthouse Location Map

County Information

Description

Del Norte County was created 2 Mar 1857 and derived its name from its geographical position in the extreme northwestern corner of the state (“Del norte” is Spanish for “Of the North”.). Its county seat is Crescent City. It is located in the northwestern area of the state.

County Courthouse

Del Norte County Courthouse
450 H Street
Crescent City, CA 95531
Phone 707-464-8115
Del Norte County Website

County Clerk has divorce, probate and court records from 1848.
County recorder has birth, marriage and death records from 1873, land records from 1853, leases and agreements 1857-1954.

Del Norte County, California Record Dates

Information for this chart was taken from various sources, often containing conflicting dates. This information should be taken as a guide and should be verified by contacting the county and/or the state government agency.

Known Beginning Dates for Government County Records
Birth*	Marriage	Death*	Court	Land	Probate	Census
1873	1873	1873	1848	1853	1848	1850
*Statewide registration for births and deaths started in 1905. General compliance by 1920.

Record Loss

18 January 1948: Courthouse burned and many records were damaged. Some early records were destroyed. For suggestions about research in places that suffered historic record losses, see: Burned Counties. By Michael John Neill at 24-7 Family History Circle. When the Records are Gone. By Arlene Eakle at Arlene Eakle's Tennessee Blog. Burned Counties Research in the FamilySearch Research Wiki. List of counties in the United States with Record Loss

Boundary Changes

Parent County(s): Created from Klamath County, on 2 March 1857. County Seat: Crescent City California Individual County Chronologies - Newberry Library list of all boundary changes by county California Historical Borders - Map at Newberry Library Atlas of Historical County Boundaries; Also at: mapofus.org - animated maps illustrating California county boundary changes

Populated Places

For a complete list of populated places, including small neighborhoods and suburbs, visit HomeTown Locator. The following are the most historically and genealogically relevant populated places in this county:

Cities
Crescent City
Unincorporated communities
Adams Station Darlingtonia Douglas Park False Klamath	Idlewild Klamath Glen Pacific Shores Patrick Creek	Requa Rockland Yontocket
American Indian Communities
Elk Valley Rancheria Resighini Rancheria	Yurok Reservation	Tolowa Dee-ni' Nation formerly Smith River Rancheria
Census-designated places
Bertsch-Oceanview Crescent City North Fort Dick	Gasquet Hiouchi	Klamath Smith River

Resources

Cemeteries

Cemeteries of Del Norte, California online and in print
Tombstone Transcriptions Online	Find a Grave BillionGraves Interment.net USGW Tombstone Transcription Project
Tombstone Transcriptions in Print (Often more complete)	FamilySearch Catalog WorldCat.org
List of Cemeteries in the County	Find a Grave FamilySearch Places
See California Cemeteries for more information

Census Records

For online censuses (state and federal) and for more information, see California Census.

Historical populations
Census	Pop.	%±
1860	1,993	—
1870	2,022	1.5%
1880	2,584	27.8%
1890	2,592	0.3%
1900	2,408	−7.1%
1910	2,417	0.4%
1920	2,759	14.1%
1930	4,739	71.8%
1940	4,745	0.1%
1950	8,078	70.2%
1960	17,771	120.0%
1970	14,580	−18.0%
1980	18,217	24.9%
1990	23,460	28.8%
2000	27,507	17.3%
2010	28,610	4.0%
Source: "Wikipedia.org".

• 1860 Del Norte County Census Data (Genealogy Trails)

Church Records

Church records vary significantly depending on the denomination and the record keeper. Usually listed on the town level, they may contain ages, dates (baptism, christening, birth, marriage, death), maiden names, and more. See also California Church Records.

• 1864-1985 California, Church Records, 1864-1985 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images

List of Churches and Church Parishes

• FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places

Directories

• 1881 Del Norte County Directory (CAGenWeb Project)
  
• 1910 Index to Great Register, Del Norte County, California (CAGenWeb Project)
  
• 1933 California Civilian Conservation Corps Members, 1933, Del Norte County (CAGenWeb Project)
  
• 1970-2024 United States, Residence Database, 1970-2024 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index, coverage may vary
  

Funeral Homes

Wier's Mortuary Chapel and Crematoruim in Crescent City

Land and Property Records

Land and property records provide exact location of land, often reveal family relationships, and give names of witnesses and neighbors. They include deeds, abstracts and indexes, mortgages, leases, grants and land patents. See California Land and Property for online resources, including early land grants.

Online Land Indexes and Records

• Full-Text Search - Land Records at FamilySearch - index & images; dates, records, and places vary; How to Search

Local Histories

Local histories are available for Del Norte County. Histories may include biographies, church, school and government history, and military information. For more information about local histories, see California Local Histories.

Maps and Gazetteers

Click a neighboring county
for more resources

• Maps of California (1850-1925)
• FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places

Migration

• 1906-1935 California, Pioneer Migration Index, Compiled 1906-1935 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images

Military Records

• 1883 List of Pensioners on the Roll, January 1, 1883, Del Norte County (Genealogy Trails)

World War I

• Information from Civilian Draft Registration Cards, Del Norte County (CAGenWeb Project)
• 1914-1918 California, Geographical and Name Index of Californians who served in WWI, 1914-1918 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images

World War II

• 1942 Army Enlistees, Surnames A-L (USGenWeb Archives)
• 1942 United States World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1942 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
• World War II Honor List of Dead and Missing Army and Army Air Forces Personnel, Del Norte County (Genealogy Trails)

Naturalization and Citizenship

Online Naturalization Indexes and Records

• 1852-1989 California, Northern U.S. District Court Naturalization Index, 1852-1989 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images

Newspapers

• 1800s-1999 U.S., Newspapers.com Marriage Index, 1800s-1999 at Ancestry - index ($)
• California Digital Newspaper Collection at UCR Center for Bibliographical Studies and Research
• California, U.S., Newspapers.com Stories and Events Index at Ancestry — index & images ($)

Obituaries

• Index to Del Norte County Obituaries (Genealogy Trails)

Other Records

Voting Records

• 1866-1898 California, U.S., Voter Registers, 1866-1898 at Ancestry - index ($)
• 1866-1910 California, Great Registers, 1866-1910 at MyHeritage - index ($)

Probate Records

Probate records include wills, fee books, claim registers, legacy records, inheritance records, probate ticklers, and dockets. They may give the decedent's date of death, names and residences of spouse, children, parents, siblings, in-laws, and others. For online records and more information, see California Probate Records.

Online Probate Indexes and Records

• 1782-1999 California Wills and Probate Records 1782-1999 at Ancestry — index & images ($)
• Full-Text Search - Wills and Probate Records at FamilySearch - index & images; dates, records, and places vary; How to Search

Social Security Records

• 1935-2014 United States Social Security Death Index at FamilySearch — How to use this collection; index. Also at Ancestry, findmypast, Fold3, GenealogyBank, MyHeritage, and Steve Morse. Click here for more information.
• 1936-2007 U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007
• 1936-2007 United States, Social Security Numerical Identification Files (NUMIDENT), 1936-2007 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index

Tax Records

California tax records complement land records and can supplement the years between censuses. There may be gaps of several years in the tax records of some counties. For more information, see California Taxation.

Vital Records

Vital Records consist of births, adoptions, marriages, divorces, and deaths recorded on registers, certificates, and documents. The state has records since July 1905, although county records may start earlier. See California Vital Records for more information.

Birth

• 1800-1994 California, County Birth and Death Records, 1800-1994 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
• 1812-1988 California Births and Christenings, 1812-1988 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index
• 1860-1884 Del Norte County Birth Notices (Genealogy Trails)
• 1890-1940's Miscellaneous Marriage, Birth, and Death Records from the Del Norte Record (CAGenWeb Project)
• 1905-1910 Birth Records for Del Norte County (Genealogy Trails)
• 1905-1995 California Birth Index, 1905-1995 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index. Also at: MyHeritage($)

Marriage

• 1800-2007 California, United States Marriages at Findmypast — index ($)
• 1850-1945 California Marriages, 1850-1945 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
• 1850-1952 California, County Marriages, 1850-1952 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images. Also at: MyHeritage($)
• 1890-1940's Miscellaneous Marriage, Birth, and Death Records from the Del Norte Record (CAGenWeb Project)
• 1960-1985 California Marriage Index, 1960-1985 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index. Also at: MyHeritage($)
• Western States Marriage Index at BYU-Idaho

Death

• 1776-2000 California Deaths and Burials, 1776-2000 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index
• 1800-1994 California, County Birth and Death Records, 1800-1994 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
• 1890-1940's Miscellaneous Marriage, Birth, and Death Records from the Del Norte Record (CAGenWeb Project)
• 1905-1939 California Death Index, 1905-1939 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
• 1940-1997 California Death Index, 1940-1997 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index. Also at: MyHeritage($)

Divorce

• 1966-1984 California Divorce Index, 1966-1984 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index

Research Facilities

Archives

Listed below are archives in Del Norte County. For state-wide facilities, see California Archives and Libraries.

FamilySearch Centers

FamilySearch Center and Affiliate Library Locator map - search for local FamilySearch Centers or Affiliate Libraries

• FamilySearch Centers provide one-on-one assistance, free access to center-only databases, and to premium genealogical websites.
• FamilySearch Affiliate Libraries have access to most center-only databases, but may not always have full services normally provided by a FamilySearch center.
  

Local Centers and Affiliate Libraries

• Brookings Oregon FamilySearch Center
• Cave Junction Oregon FamilySearch Center
• Crescent City California FamilySearch Center
• Genealogical Society of Siskiyou County - an affiliate library

Libraries

Listed below are libraries in Del Norte County. For state-wide library facilities, see California Archives and Libraries.

Museums

Del Norte County Historical Society and Museum
Phone: 707-464-3922
Email: manager@delnortehistory.org
Website

Societies

Listed below are societies in Del Norte County. For state-wide genealogical and historical societies, see California Societies.

California Historical Society
678 Mission Street
San Francisco, CA 94105
Phone: 415-357-1848
Email: info@calhist.org
Website

Del Norte County Historical Society
577 "H" Street
Crescent City, CA 95531
Phone: 707-464-3922
Website
Facebook

Websites

• Del Norte County CAGenWeb and CA GenWeb
• USGenWeb Archives
• Del Norte County, California Genealogy Trails
• Del Norte County CA Genealogy (ldsgenealogy.com)

• FamilySearch Catalog – The FamilySearch catalog contains descriptions and access information for all genealogical materials (including books, online materials, microfilm, microfiche, and publications) in their collection.  Use Historical Records to search for specific individuals in genealogical records.

Research Guides

• Del Norte Research Guide at California State Library

This table contains the dates the local or state government began recording in the county or county equivalent. Use substitute records for earlier dates. If you believe there is an error, email us at wikisupport@familysearch.org.

County boundary maps are currently unavailable. Download information instead.

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Users should verify which locations and dates are included in this collection.

This website requires a paid subscription for full access. Some subscription websites are available for free at your local FamilySearch Center or Affiliate Library.

FamilySearch affiliate libraries may have access to center-only databases, but do not always have all services normally provided by a FamilySearch center.